Keep updated

Gyudon

Now that I took a little break from experimenting with Japanese foods, I am back to it! With the recipes for dorayaki and abura soba done, I am moving on to one of the most popular Japanese dishes, gyudon. Unsure of what gyudon is? Think Yoshinoya. The beef bowls are originally from Japan, and yes, even Yoshinoya itself. Normally, I never dine at the fast food, but I had to give it a try when I was in Tokyo. The regular beef bowls actually tasted very similar to the ones in the States, but there was one particular variation that I actually very much enjoyed: gyudon topped with a raw egg yolk and lots of green onions on a bed of rice. Now that is one gyudon that I can go for!

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

When preparing Japanese foods, you will discover that there are certain ingredients that are present in almost every dish. Dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sake are some of the staples that help create the flavors of ramen, curry, and yes, gyudon. If you’re in a hurry but want an authentic version of Yoshinoya, you can whip up this bowl in no time.

Gyudon is literally beef bowl. Rice is topped with slow simmered beef and onions to take on a mild, sweet flavor. This variation is the exact dish I had in Japan (pictured below) with an egg and green onions. You may be hesistant about having a raw egg in your bowl but the beef will be hot enough to “cook” it.

While playing with the recipe, I’ve discovered that it’s best to slowly cook the beef in the sauce, in order for it to capture all of the flavor. In fact, it’s best to let the beef even sit in the liquid over night, almost marinating the meat. There was one stand in Tokyo that served gyudon and had their beef simmering in a large pot for hours. By doing this, the meat will become incredibly flavorful – let’s face it, the dish is beef and rice. If your beef doesn’t have any flavor, the entire dish will be lacking it as well.

Serve your bowl with pickled ginger and togarashi for some spice. Just like Yoshinoya, only 100 times better!

Looking for someone to come to your house and prepare these dishes for you? It is possible! If you are in Los Angeles and looking for a private chef, please feel free to contact me. For more information, visit Private Kitchen Los Angeles.